ACCESS Testing Overview

ACCESS TESTING FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELLs)

The New Illinois Learning Standards (NILS), which are common core based, apply to ELLs, too. The ELL state mandated standardized test, called ACCESS, has been rewritten to include more challenging, common core tasks. School Year 2017-2018 will be the thirdoperational year for ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Summative Assessment . It will be administered primarily via computer with built-in accommodations and accessibility features appropriate for a range of student needs.

For 2018-2019, the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 testing window will be from January 16, 2019 to February 19, 2019.

The ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 test will be self-paced as with the current test. The target administration times for each section of the test are:

Listening: Up to 40 minutes

Reading: Up to 35 minutes

Speaking: Up to 30 minute

Writing Tier A: Up to 45 minute

Writing Tiers B/C: Up to 60 minutes

According to the WIDA website, "In addition to standardizing the test-taking experience for all students, it is expected that the multimedia and improved dynamism of a computer-delivered assessment will more readily engage students. By moving to computer delivery, ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 will benefit from the wide range of possibilities afforded by technology: from item presentation and capturing responses, to accessibility and scoring efficiency."